When I don’t teach it’s because I can’t make a commitment 10+ days out.
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Same here.
blah, blah, blah
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The #1 reason I haven’t taught a class yet is that there’s not a clear path to getting authorized to teach “ROAST” classes.
I’ve been told “talk to GATEKEEPER-X” but actually meeting up with them IRL has proven to be more difficult than I thought.
I’ve also thought about teaching some software classes, but from what I gather there is less demand for the programs I could teach.
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Is you mean the honorarium auditors as the gatekeeper, what is needed is an indication that is actually a prepared class with an objective. In general, software classes fall within the “makery” criteria.
I would say go ahead and put the class up. The worst that could happen is nobody showing up if there is no interest.
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Curiously, that came out in my order of concerns.
Time constraints are a significant issue for me. I work 9+ hour days and spend 90+ minutes a day commuting. I’m oftentimes beat at the end of the day with just enough margin to deal with my personal needs.
I am not comfortable with DMS holding onto any more of my personal information than absolutely necessary thus have no intention of providing a W-9 form to the organization.
My concern over a successful class is the least - I believe I could prepare and deliver material well, however the hurdles of approval (or rather, ‘not being rejected’) along with the prep time are discouraging factors. Perhaps this is more of a “not sure if I will get honorarium” concern.
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No no, I’m talking about safety courses. And I don’t mean “gatekeeper” in the derogatory or anything like that.
I’ve been told that to teach safety courses one has to be certified by the relevant committee chair.
I haven’t even attempted to put a class on the calendar yet.
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One of the main reasons why I do teach, apparently one of my favorite things to make at Makespace is makers. 
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I’m probably in a common scenario - I used to teach because we needed teachers for a required class. People seemed to enjoy the classes or at least suffered through them with a smile since they were required, so that was enough to do another one. And another one. And a few more… but with a 2-year old, I don’t have the time anymore. The hurdle to teaching probably isn’t DMS for most people, it’s their personal lives.
Ol’ @tapper said it pretty well in another thread, methinks. People just want to make shit.
Edit: it’s my cakeday! 3 year anniversary.
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It is important that the committee can choose who can teach required classes. If they are not responsive to people who volunteer to teach, the problem is them.
I don’t teach because I barely even make it out once every 3 months or so for personal projects, thanks to how constrained my personal time is these days.
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Lord knows I recruited and trained a lot of teachers. This, is the number one reason folks don’t teach, by such a large margin, the other reasons hardly matter.
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I like to teach. Unfortunately I don’t have the time. I do normally teach about 8 at a time. I teach because we need people to teach, I want to earn money to the committee. I give it all to the committee. I enjoy it. This damn work thing keeps getting in the way.
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Tim you may not teach classes - but he donates an incredible amount of time keeping machines running and folks learn a lot from him - I have.
I would say the money you save DMS way exceeds what you’d make teaching. Example: You, Bob Karnaugh, and Chris Wischkowsky in fabricating parts for the lathed save DMS at least $2,000 in repair parts.
If teaching is what you like to do - I think if you could teach a class on trouble shooting, that would be well attended and a great class!
Thanks for all you do!!
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Time is probably the biggest obstacle for most people. One solution for this is for people who have time to teach and who know how to schedule classes to ask the people with less time to attend a class and help, share tips that they have learned or bring tools.
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Committees strive to make the “machine basics” courses (including safety) consistent among instructors. Different committees have different approaches to ensuring that consistency.
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I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, just that I wish it was a little easier to help out.
By the way, your class on the Babylock was excellent. I liked that there was a quiz at the end to make sure that no one could forget the important points. I felt confident that I could use the machine after the class, I wish there were more instructors like you at DMS!
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I like to teach but my time requirements have shifted so I’m down to only one class a month.
On the discussion - there is a big difference between teaching for machine use and teaching a skill. I’m going to pick on the woodshop, only 'cause they’re great guys and I wouldn’t pick on my own group. 
Woodshop 101 runs you thru the machines. so when you’re done you may know how to operate the table saw. but nothing teaches you how to build a table. there isn’t woodworking instruction per se offered. some of the other woodworking classes such as penmaking or an occasional turned or bandsawed box - now THOSE are classes that teach and reinforce a skill. We really need to see ore of that than basic machine access.
In truth, we in machine shop do the same, although we try to incorporate more hands on in each class. We just have less volunteers to do so. the main problem is that these types skill based classes end up taking multiple sessions and I for one would not commit to that for $50 even when I had time to do it. this is why I advocate that we grow up and start bringing in outside presenters to put those types of classes. It would obviously be fee based.
Would that work? well lets see - when we hosted the touring CNC group, tickets were I think $300 a pop and it was full (mostly outside people). these are usually held at a hotel and it usually pays for the room and a nice profit for the presenters. What did DMS get out of it? Nothing basically. A few members got to sit in so that they can learn and then teach others about Aspire (which we may never get). Had DMS put it on ourselves - even if we had to pay an ‘honorarium’ of $4000 in airfare/hotel/pay to the presenter that would leave a nice $5k or so in profits ($300 * 30 tickets minus $2k).
The various hobby groups such as the American Association of Woodturners has a list of touring artists. Hobby groups bring them in all the time and fill a room. I’m sure Jewelry, fired arts, creative arts, etc each have ‘heroes’ they could bring in and put on a good seminar. The hard part is advertising it, and opening it up to the public at large. the good part is that some of those may want to join up with us after.
This does not have to be limited to outside teachers. DMS has some good professional subject matter experts that I’m sure could put on some good skill based classes if the price was right. Just food for thought.
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Woodcraft erst also teaches wood working courses. Not sure if they would come here, but it would be good exposure for their store.
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Why do I teach?
For extra money—yep–it pays my dues, my gas to get there and even some food on the way home
It allows me to be active at the space= I an afford to come for committee meeting
Because I love to teach—I teach because I enjoy it and it seems to almost be in my DNA—I think my parents
started me on that path, form my mom teaching me to read long before I started school to her
teaching me sewing and cooking and other things, My Dad taught me to some woodworking and
home repairs
Because it helps a committee buy things
Because I like to see folks learn new things and to develop new interests
I have taught classes outside of DMS from jewelry at Northlake CC to teaching for the Plano
dept of Recreation to the SCA and in the later I have taught a wide variety of classes from jewelry
related weaving to sewing and fabric painting to clay and others
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Something Sue and I discovers when we taught at Northlake was that a lot of folks need a focus for
what you teach, A few folks will come in and have ideas about what they want to make, but most
prefer having a set goal—We will use these skills to make a leaf pendent
We buy patterns for sewing use recipes for cooking, watch a home repair show on how to build a book
shelf You do often need basic skills to do that, but folks like some guidance until they are
comfortable creating on their own
If you are one of the folks with the ‘maker gene’ you create because it is a part of you, Give you a recipe and
the second time you fix it, you have started altering it. Creativity is not something that has been encouraged in everyont
As teachers we need to be aware of both types and of folks that come here with excellent skill sets, Sometimes thy
may be a little rusty